Golf cart umbrella attachment



Sept. 15, 1964 e. K. CONDON 3,148,851

GOLF CART UMBRELLA ATTACHMENT Filed 061.- 23, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l FiglFig. 4

George K. Condon 8 INVENTOR.

Sept. 15, 1964 G. K. CONDON 3,148,851

com CART UMBRELLA ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 23. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GeorgeK Condon INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,148,851 GGLF CART UMBRELLA ATTACHMENT George K.Condon, 2%450 Mitchell Ava, Eetroit 34, Mich. Filed Oct. 23, 1961, Ser.No. 146,841 3 Claims. (Cl. 243-41) The present invention relates to anovel holder attachment for an umbrella and cooperatively associatedmounting means, a bracket or fixture for example, which enables the userto detachably and adjustably mount the umbrella on a support whether thesupport be stationary or movable.

Persons conversant with the art to which the invention relates are awarethat the concept and objective set forth in the preceding generalstatement of the invention is not new. Reference may be had, forinstance, to the adjustable umbrella supporting bracket disclosed in apatent granted to one Johansen 2,822,143 on February 4, 1958. Thispatent is mentioned here for the reason that the present invention bearsgeneral resemblance in construction and purpose thereto particularly inthat while the present invention was designed and constructed to mountthe umbrella on a push-pull handle on a golf cart or carriage, it maylikewise be anchored on and used in connection with other mobile supportmeans and, alternatively, on stationary support means. However, and tosimplify the presentation of the instant invention a golf cart handleexemplifies the support means for the umbrella.

An object of the invention is to structurally functionally and in otherways improve on the Johansen patent and any analogous prior artadaptations, such as boats and bicycles, where umbrellas are customarilyused.

To the ends desired one improvement resides in the umbrella attachment.This attachment provides a readily applicable and removable holder forthe umbrella. With this in mind it has been found expedient andpractical to employ a simple suitably elongated rod. The upper portionof the rod parallels the umbrella handle or handgrip and is providedwith a clamp or clamping head which may be readily applied'and removed.To accommodate the handgrip the rod is provided intermediate its endswith a simple economical plate which is adjustable and removable andprovides a satisfactory rest or seat for the handgrip.

More specifically the umbrella holder or attachment is unique in that afeasible swing-type clamp or clamping head is employed said head havinga component part thereof provided with a stud fitted removably andtelescopically into the hollow upper end of the rod. Then, too, theplate is adjustable to underlie the clamping head and functions withrequisite nicety in conjunction with said clamping head.

Another improvement resides in the bracket means or fixture which isdetachably mounted on the golf cart handle or other equivalent supportmeans. Briefly this fixture or bracket means is characterized by aprimary two-part or an equivalent clamp which is readily applicable tothe golf cart handle and which in turn carries the secondary clamp whichis adjustable and constructed to accommodatingly receive and aptly holdthe coacting scribed and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals referto like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE-1 is a view in side elevation on a small scale showing afragmentary portion of a conventional golf cart and push-pull handle,illustrating a conventional umbrella and the umbrella attachment orholder and anchoring fixture or bracket means;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view on a larger scale detailingthe principal component units; namely, the bracket or fixture means onthe push-pull handle and the detachable and adjustable upstandingumbrella attachment or holder;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE'Z but showing amodified ball and socket-type bracket means or fixture;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken on the plane of the vertical section line4-4 of FIGURE 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a similar view in section and elevation but taken on theplane of the section line 5-5 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal section on the section line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view on the section line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a section on the section line 8-8 of FIG- URE 4; 1

FIGURE 9 is a view in perspective of one of the component parts; and

FIGURE 10 is an exploded perspective view of the head clamp shown forexample in FIGURE 2.

The support means in FIGURE 1 is denoted generally by the numeral 12 andcomprises a golf cart having a customary push-pull handle 14. It is onthis handle that the umbrella 16 is mounted and adjustably supported.The umbrella embodies a shaft 18 provided at its lower end with a handleor handgrip Zil.

It seems advisable to first describe the holder or attachment for theumbrella particularly in that this aspect of the overall concept is thesame regardless of the particular fixture or bracket means which isemployed for detachably and adjustably anchoring it on the handle orsupport I4. With this in mind the attachment comprises theaforementioned rod 22. This rod is of suitable length and cross-sectionand is preferably hollow. The clamp or clamping head atop the rod may,of course, vary in construction but the swing-type clamp which isreadily openable and closable has been found suitable and desirable.This' clamp is designated as an entity by the numeral 24. Specificallyit comprises as shown in FIGURE 1d a suitably daigned head 25 having adepending stud or pin 28 which is fitted rotatably and removably in thesocket provided at the upper end of the rod as shown in FIGURE 5. Thishead is provided with a V-shaped seat 30 which is cooperable with acorresponding seat 32 provided in the relatively movable jaw 34. Thehead 25 constitutes the fixed jaw. Obviously the hinging lugs 36 on jaw34 straddle and are hingedly connected to the com plern'ental orcompanion lug 380a jaw 26. The headed bolt 4% is pivoted as at 42 to thejaw 26 with the threaded end oooperable with the fork 44 on jaw 34, thetwo' jaws being held together by the wing nut 46 when in position asillustrated for example in FIG. 4. With this construction this clampinghead may be applied to the shaft of the umbrella just above the handleand allowed to remain in place if desired. Then the upper end of thetube can be slipped over the trunnion-like stud 28. The handle orhandgrip supporting and seating member is removable and adjustable andcomprises a simple fiat-faced plate 48 having a hole 50 (FIG. 9) thereinand through which the rod passes. The bifurcated end provides furcations52 which accommodatingly receive the assembling and clamping screw orbolt 54. Thus a straight rod with a clamping head at the top and aseating plate on the median portion of the rod provides a highlysatisfactory holder for the umbrella permitting the same to be attachedto and removed from the support or other handle 14.

Bracket means is adapted to be anchored on the handle or support 14.Reference is bad first to FIGURES 2, 4 and 8 wherein it will be notedthat generally speaking the bracket means or fixture is characterized bytwo distinguishable units one of which may be referred to as the primaryclamp 56 and the other as the secondary or rod clamp 58 (FIG. 4). Thefirst clamp comprises a block-like part or body 60 having a suitableseat for the handle 14- and provided with screw-threaded holes 62 toaccommodate screw-threaded shanks on th attaching and retaining screws64. These screws pass through end portions 66 provided in the removableclamping plate 68. This plate conforms to the handle and is adjustablybolted in place in the manner shown. The body 60 is provided with aprojecting shank 7 which is screwthreaded to accommodate a nut 72carrying a knurled knob 74. Interposed between the nut and the primaryclamp is the secondary rod clamp 58 comprising opposed spaced parallelring-like members 76 and 78 with their opposed faces recessed toaccommodate a coil spring 80 encircling the pin 70. The mating faces ofthe component parts 66 and 76 are serrated to provide locking orretaining teeth denoted generally at 82 in FIGURE 2. These parts 76 and78 are provided on marginal edges with outstanding or radial lugs whichare suitably shaped to provide jaws constituting a clamp 84 for thelower end of the aforementioned rod 22. This arrangement and the overallresult may be observed in FIGURE 2. In practice the holder or attachmentfor the umbrella is mounted on the shaft of the umbrella by applying theaforementioned swing-type clamp and interconnecting the rod 22 with theclamp by way of the stud 28. The plate 48 is adjusted or turned inwhatever manner desired to seat and support the lower end of thehandgrip of the umbrella. The lower end of the rod 22 is fitted into theclamp 84 in an obvious manner. Assuming that the bracket or fixturemeans, comprising the primary and secondary clamps 56 and 58 has beenapplied on the handle 14 it will be evident as to what the constructionand arrangement of parts is and how these parts coordinate in supportingthe umbrella. The construction allows the umbrella to be adjustedvertically for height. In addition the position of the bracket means onthe handle 14 may be shifted as desired. Furthermore the parts of thebracket means are such as to allow for further adjnstment so that it ispossible to angle the shaft 18 of the umbrella to assume the mostadvantageous position. With reference to FIGURE 8 it will be seen thatif desired the member 78 may be provided with an outstanding keeper lug85 fitting into a keeper socket 88 to assist in keeping the partsproperly assembled and aligned. With respect now to the modificationreference may be made to FIGURES 3, 6 and 7. With reference to FIGURE 3the bracket means or fixture comprises a simple attaching clamp 90having jaws 100 held in place by clamping screws 102. This jaw means isprovided at its top with a spherical ball 104 constituting a ball jointing member and which functions to accommodate the companionhalf-sections 106 of the socket member. These half-sections are providedwith outstanding suitably designed grips 108 which provide a clamp forthe aforementioned rod and which are bound together by component partsand the attending features and advan-' tages. Therefore a more extendeddescription is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, bracket means embodying a primary clamp havingcomplemental parts adapted to be clampingly mounted on a support, ashank having one end connected to and projecting from one side of saidprimary clamp, a secondary clamp embodying opposed spaced parallelmembers encircling said shank, the opposed inner faces of said membersbeing provided with aligned spring seating recesses, a coil springsurrounding a median portion of the shank and having end portionsthereof nested in the seating recesses provided therefor, said shankhaving a free screw-threaded end, said screwthreaded end being providedwith a nut, said nut serving to clampingly bind said ring-like memberstogether against the tension of the spring, said ring-like members beingprovided with cooperating jaws providing a clamp for a rod, one of saidring-like members being provided with retaining teeth adjustablyconnected with coaeting retaining teeth on an adjacent part of theprimary clamp, and a rod having a lower end portion detachably andadjustably mounted between said jaws and rising vertically therefrom andprovided on an upper end with means for the attachment of an umbrellashaft and handgrip thereto.

2. For use when desiring to support an open umbrella in a usableelevated position on a support; an adapter bracket embodying a primaryclamp having companion parts adapted to'clampingly embrace said support,said parts being separably joined and a secondary clamp detachably andadjustably mounted on and carried by said primary clamp and having jawswhich are designed and adapted to clampingly grip a rod, and means formounting the aforementioned umbrella on said adapter bracket, said meanscomprising an umbrella attachment embodying an elongated hollow rod, thelower end portion of said rod being fitted and clampingly held betweenthe above,- named jaws, a seating member comprising a plate disposed atright angles to said rod and having one end thereof rotatably, slidinglyand detachably clamped on a median portion of said rod, and a clampinghead embodying a head portion provided with a depending stud fittingtelescopically and removably into the hollow portion of the upper end ofsaid rod, said head portion resting atop said upper end, said headportion being notched and constituting a jaw, and a complemental jawhingedly mounted on said head portion and fastened thereto.

3. In combination bracket means adapted for a sup port, said bracketmeans embodying a primary clamp having opposed cooperating parts boltedtogether and adapted to be clampingly bolted on said support, one of theparts of said clamp being provided with a shank, said shank fixed at oneend and having an opposite screwthread end, said screw-threaded endprovided with an as? sembling and binding out having a finger-grip, asecondary clamp embodying cooperating spaced parallel members slidinglyrotatably mounted on a median portion of the shank between the nut andthat part of the primary clamp carrying said shank, said members beingprovided on marginal portions thereof with outstanding opposedcooperating jaws, a rod having a lower end detachably and adjustablymounted between and secured by said jaws, said rod having an upperhollow end, clamping head means embodying a head resting removably androtatably atop said upper end and having a depending assembling andconnecting stud, said stud fitting rotatably and removably into saidhollow upper end, said head portion being provided with a clampingportion acting in conjunction with said head portion and in a manner toclampingly grip the shaft portion of an umbrella, and a seating 6 aplate disposed at right angles to said rod and having one end portionadjustable on said rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

2. FOR USE WHEN DESIRING TO SUPPORT AN OPEN UMBRELLA IN A USABLEELEVATED POSITION ON A SUPPORT; AN ADAPTER BRACKET EMBODYING A PRIMARYCLAMP HAVING COMPANION PARTS ADAPTED TO CLAMPINGLY EMBRACE SAID SUPPORT,SAID PARTS BEING SEPARATELY JOINED AND A SECONDARY CLAMP DETACHABLY ANDADJUSTABLY MOUNTED ON AND CARRIED BY SAID PRIMARY CLAMP AND HAVING JAWSWHICH ARE DESIGNED AND ADAPTED TO CLAMPINGLY GRIP A ROD, AND MEANS FORMOUNTING THE AFOREMENTIONED UMBRELLA ON SAID ADAPTER BRACKET, SAID MEANSCOMPRISING AN UMBRELLA ATTACHMENT EMBODYING AN ELONGATED HOLLOW ROD, THELOWER END PORTION OF SAID ROD BEING FITTED AND CLAMPINGLY HELD BETWEENTHE ABOVENAMED JAWS, A SEATING MEMBER COMPRISING A PLATE DISPOSED ATRIGHT ANGLES TO SAID ROD AND HAVING ONE END THEREOF ROTATABLY, SLIDINGLYAND DETACHABLY CLAMPED ON A MEDIAN PORTION OF SAID ROD, AND A CLAMPINGHEAD EMBODYING A HEAD PORTION PROVIDED WITH A DEPENDING STUD FITTINGTELESCOPICALLY REMOVABLY INTO THE HOLLOW PORTION OF THE UPPER END OFSAID ROD, HEAD PORTION RESTING ATOP SAID UPPER END, SAID HEAD PORTIONBEING NOTCHED AND CONSTITUTING A JAW, AND A COMPLEMENTAL JAW HINGEDLYMOUNTED ON SAID HEAD PORTION AND FASTENED THERETO.